Bringing Sustainable Farming to a Tanzanian Village

The University of Illinois’ Introduction to Sustainability course helped Jaylawi change his small community’s approach to food and farming. Here’s his story:

After growing up in a small village in Tanzania, Jaylawi Njwelige moved to Sydney, Australia to pursue a career in IT. He found a stable job and loved his work, but his mind often drifted back to his childhood home.

Jaylawi knew that, with Tanzania’s population growing rapidly, communities like his would need to a new approach to farming to grow enough food. He believed that innovative farming practices could improve his community’s outlook and financial circumstances – maybe even enough to open access to better healthcare and education – but he wasn’t sure where to get started to make a difference.

When he discovered Coursera and the University of Illinois’ Introduction to Sustainability course, Jaylawi seized the opportunity to learn all he could about sustainable farming. The course introduced him to a world of new ideas and tools, from solar energy to efficient waste management – and most importantly, and he was exposed to effective strategies for passing his knowledge on to others. After completing the course, he knew he was ready to help his community change.

Jaylawi decided to quit his job and move back to his childhood home. He is now helping a small group of farmers to establish a sustainable farm, using the innovative tools and strategies that he learned from his Illinois instructors on Coursera.

“I’ve always wanted to give back to my community,” he says. “Thanks to Coursera, I’m helping people in my village support themselves.”